Blog posts tagged with 'caterers'

As a banquet hall, event venue, caterer or party rental company, buying plastic folding tables for your events can be a daunting task. With so many different manufacturers and retailers out there selling folding tables, how can you be sure you’re getting high quality, durable, commercial-grade plastic folding tables that allow you to rent out or use for adequate return on investment?

Because it can be overwhelming to settle on a specific plastic folding table supplier, we've put together a checklist of 4 of the 8 most important questions to ask before buying plastic folding tables.

1. How much weight can the plastic folding tables hold?

When holding events that utilize plastic folding tables, they need to be able to withstand the expected and unexpected. Perhaps you're using them for a buffet so the tables will be holding chafing dishes, beverage tubs, stacks of commercial dinnerware, and cutlery stations. Perhaps your staff during clean up loads the plastic folding tables full of dishes. Make sure to look for a plastic folding table that can hold a minimum of 700-1000lbs and that the supplier can show proof of its sturdiness.

2. What kind of locking mechanism is underneath the table?

There's great debate over which locking mechanism—snap lock or gravity lock—makes the most sense for folding tables. We're not going to get involved in the grate debate—one customer that loves snap locks, hates gravity locks while another loves gravity and hates snap. Just make sure that when you're purchasing tables that you’re aware of which lock is available so you're prepared for what to expect.

Snap locks are as their name would suggest and snap with some effort into place. These can be really secure assuming they’re properly deployed. Some don’t lock it in all the way and then wonder why the table folds so make sure you hear that it clicks into place.

A gravity lock, on the other hand, is a ring that slides down the table leg frame and locks the leg in place. It acts as an extra safety so that table legs don’t unintentionally fold. Gravity locks can make setting up and disassembling tables more difficult for some.

3. What gauge are the table legs?

Folding tables have a different gauge (thickness) of steel depending on the table use and quality. 19 Gauge steel table legs could be classified as economy table legs because 18 gauge is lighter and less expensive than the thicker gauges.

17 Gauge steel table legs are of commercial quality and extremely suitable for foodservice, and party rental businesses looking for both durability, affordability and higher quality table legs. Make sure you find out what gauge of table leg the tables you’re planning to buy offer – so you know what you’re getting and what uses they’ll be find for.

4. How much do the plastic folding tables weigh?

While weight may not be important if you plan the tables to stay in one place however, if you're going to be moving them to events weight becomes an increasingly important variable. Plastic folding tables come in a number of different shapes and sizes so their weight will vary depending on this. Most commercial plastic folding tables range in weight from 20lbs to 70lbs.

To view the last 4 most important questions to ask before buying plastic folding tables check out part two of the series here!

Over the years the standard plywood folding table sizes have grown in popularity for us.  With this success we have continually listened to our customers to find new sizes and styles of tables to add to our product catalogue.  The latest additions to hit our shelves are the following items:

• 66” NES Round Wood Folding Table
• 6-ft Rectangle Wood Folding Table Legs
• 8-ft Rectangle Wood Folding Table Legs
• 60” Wood Round Folding Table
• Wood Folding Table Feet

National Event Supply has offered a standard range of wood folding tables for several years now.  In both the plywood tables and plastic tables, the popularity of the 60” Round is undeniable.  It's a great size that suits many different situations extremely well and is a popular table option to fit an 8 person meal on (see Why I Love Round Folding Tables: Better Conversations). But what if you are looking for something that fits 10 people for a meal?  And what if you are looking to optimize your space? If that's the case you should consider our new 66" plywood round folding tables! They don't take up quite as much space as our 72" plywood round folding tables but can still seat 10 people for dinner. Additionally the 66" wood round folding table is less expensive than the 72" wood round folding table.

Have you ever lost the feet on any of your tables? Have you had troubles finding replacements?  Well look no further, National Event Supply is now stocking replacement feet for wood folding tables. They really are the perfect addition to our ever growing selection of parts. So what tables do they fit? They fit all NES Plywood Folding Tables and many other wood folding tables that use 1" diameter tubing for the legs. Unlike the plastic folding tables and plastic folding chairs that use feet that surround the bottom of the leg, the wood folding table feet actually fit inside the steel tube. If any of your tables are missing feet, be sure to give us a call before they scratch your floors!

The final product that we have added to our line-up this go around is the 6-ft Rectangle Wood Folding Table Legs, 8-ft Rectangle Wood Folding Table Legs, and 60” Wood Round Folding Table. If you are familiar with National Event Supply products you may have noticed that we actually currently offer these products however they are slightly different than the new offering. Unlike the current offering that has a gravity lock to keep them in place, the new legs have a snap lock to hold them in place. The snap lock solution is idea for the rental industry and other customers that need to move their tables on a regular basis. The gravity lock is great when the table is in place but when you are folding up the table it can often fall back into the locked position, making the fold up process somewhat frustrating for some people. The replacement legs are ideal for people looking to build their own tables or someone that already has damaged the legs on one of their existing wood folding tables.

Being officially in the last quarter of the year, I thought now would be a good time to reflect on the trends we've been seeing in the 2013 season and present some of my thoughts towards what we at National Event Supply see for the 2014 bar season

2013: The year of the variety, glassware & bottled cocktails

This year has brought about some exciting trends. We’ve seen a greater variety of beer being sampled with pale ales and lagers no longer being the staple beverage of choice – making way for wheat beers, fruit ales and much more. Along with the greater variety being sampled, we’ve seen a greater reliance on glassware. Beer glasses have seen a huge comeback-no longer can a beer be sampled in a singular glass but more and more bars/restaurants are taking a hint from European establishments and serving beer in properly branded and stylized beer glass.

On the cocktail front there’s been a trend towards making the traditional cocktails such as cosmopolitans, margaritas and mojitos, available in bottles for personal consumption instead of having to hit a bar to get a delectable drink in a 7oz martini glass.

2014: The year of sparkling bubbly, innovative cocktails and the continuance of craft beer

Over the course of 2013, there`s been a large amount of sparkling wines that have popped onto the beverage scene – perfect for our Serenity Crystal Champagne Flute. Locally produced sparkling wines seem to be popular as well and are taking the place of normal table wines, or its counterpart Champagne as a toasting beverage.

Innovative cocktails continue with dessert cocktails making their way to the scene. Without having to imbibe in their higher calorie counterparts, tasters can whet their sweet tooth with dessert cocktails such as Lemon Cream Pie Martini’s, Tiramisu cocktails or Strawberry shortcake.

Craft beers should continue to pick up steam with the “shop local” trend continuing to be a main food trend. With thousands of breweries across the country, and new brew master’s opening doors every day, this spells a plethora of different styles to sample. In Ontario, the LCBO does a great job of highlighting the different craft beers available for Ontarian’s – often showcasing different breweries across Canada both in-store, in advertising and in their fabulous Food & Drink magazine.

Got a trend you think will be big through the start or all of 2014? Let us know in the comments!

If you’re interested in receiving samples of our glassware, or want a quote on some of our glassware, contact us for more information.

National Event Supply (NES), a leading factory-direct wholesaler to the party and event rental, foodservice and hospitality industry, is pleased to announce the appointment of Stephanie Heathcote, who will join the NES team as Senior Marketing Operations Manager. Stephanie's proven background in planning and executing brand awareness and corporate marketing campaigns will help ensure NES continues to grow at record pace and further its leadership position within the party rental, hospitality and foodservice markets. "With more than 20 years of experience supplying Canada's party rental industry, and a customer service team focused on providing quality products, fast shipping and great service for our clients, National Event Supply is ready for rapid growth." Stephanie Heathcote went on to say, "I'm really excited to be a part of the NES team and hope to contribute towards their future growth."

Stephanie comes to National Event Supply with 6 years of experience in B2B marketing in the high-tech software industry. Most recently, she was Manager, Marketing Programs at Asigra, an enterprise cloud backup and recovery software company, where she managed a team of 3 inside sales and marketing professionals, planned and implemented corporate marketing promotional programs and co-managed the creation, planning and execution of the company's annual customer conference for up to 500 attendees. She has a Bachelor of Commerce from University of Ontario Institute of Technology with a specialization in Marketing.

Stephanie's appointment comes at the conclusion of another year of very good growth for the company thanks to its loyal customer base. "National Event Supply is experiencing significant year-over-year growth and great customer interest in the wake of the launch of our new English and en français website," said Dennis Heathcote, Co-President at National Event Supply. "Stephanie's experience implementing a wide variety of B2B marketing campaigns, track record of success, and business acumen are exactly what the company needs for its next phase of growth."

To learn more about National Event Supply, visit: http://www.nationaleventsupply.com

Follow National Event Supply on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/NatlEventSupply

About National Event Supply

Trusted since 1992, National Event Supply is one of Canada’s leading factory-direct wholesalers to the party and event rental, foodservice and hospitality industry. At National Event Supply, we’re focused on delivering commercial-quality products, superior customer service, and forming positive, long lasting relationships with our customers.

National Event Supply is a family owned and operated business with locations including a showroom and warehouse in the greater Toronto area and a warehouse in Vancouver, BC.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, now is the perfect time to look at your large serving piece inventory. For more than 5 years now, National Event Supply has offered a range of large melamine platters and bowls to complement our great selection of porcelain platters and bowls. While platters and bowls are nothing new to the hospitality/party rental/catering industry, Melamine has gained popularity for use in platters and bowls as it is durable, light weight, and has the same look and feel of porcelain serving pieces without the worry of breakage! Because of the high customer demand, we are now stocking three new melamine pieces just in time for Thanksgiving!

Our first new piece is also National Event Supply’s first melamine plate. The 11.5” x 7” White Melamine Rectangular Plate is great for use as a salad plate or luncheon plate. It can also be used for appetisers or to simply present three amuse bouche samples on (as seen below).

NES Item: M0962

Description: 11.5" x 7" White Melamine Rectangular Plate
Price: $12.95

With the popularity of our 16” White Melamine Square Bowl we decided to add a second square bowl to the mix. Large enough for a family style salad, the 10” White Melamine Square Bowl is perfect for serving close friends and family or integrate into a buffet at larger event functions.

NES Item: M1338

Description: 10" White Melamine Square Bowl
Price: $25.95

Lastly, we present our very first round melamine bowl! The 10” White Melamine Bowl gives you a more traditional look compared with the 10” White Melamine Square Bowl. Mix and match, with the square to create your own perfect arrangement.

NES Item: M1120

Description: 10” White Melamine Round Bowl
Price: $25.95